The Name of the Game
by Mrs. Edward Cullen 2090
Summary: One night stands always come back to bite you on the ass. Bella and Edward hate eachother...at least, thats what Bella thinks. What happens when Edward shows up at Bella's office and they're forced to work together? AH. OOC. Canon. Full summary inside.
1. Damn Long Island Ice Tea

**Hey guys! Let's get down to business.**

**I'm not doing TCD anymore; I kinda lost passion for it. It is now officially dead lol**

**Heres my news story!**

**Here's the full summary:**

_**One night stands always come back to bite you on the ass. Edward Cullen. He's a gorgeous, rich, arrogant prick with a stick up his ass. Of course, you don't find these things out until after you've slept with them. Bella hates him, and he hates her…at least, that's what Bella thinks. When the head honcho of Bella's company – who evidently turns out to be Edward – turns up to pay a visit to the company's main office, interesting things might happen…if they don't rip each other's throats out first. And what about Mark Jones? The new head of Bella's department who takes an instant liking to Ms. Swan. AH. OOC.**_

**Sooooo…without further ado…read on!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own twilight, but I do own hardcover and paperback copies of every book. How sad am I?**

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**Damn Long Island Ice Tea**

I pulled down the hem of my way-too-short black dress and hissed in Rosalie's ear, "Why the hell am I wearing this again?"

She turned to look at me, her blue eyes sparkling. "Because you look hot, and you need to get laid." Alice snickered next to her and I blushed furiously.

I snorted. "Oh yeah, because a stripper dress and 5 inch heels always attract a decent guy!" I shot back, heavy on the sarcasm.

"Oh come on Bells, lighten up! It's New Years Eve! We're here to take your mind off of James, remember?" Rose sneered his name and I could feel a slight tug at my heart.

Ah James; my previous boyfriend. We had been together for about 7 months, and when he said he had something important to tell me, I thought Oh God, this is it! He's going to propose! But, sadly, no. He shows up at my door with some red-headed twit with big boobs-who's got her hand down his pants, might I add-and announces that he's leaving me for Ruby. God, it even sounds like a slutty name.

But, then again, I have to wonder why I'm so upset over the break up. It's not like I loved him or anything. I mean, sure we had fun. In fact, we had lots, and LOTS of fun. The more that I think about it, that's all we ever did, is have fun…if you know what I mean. And, we didn't really have anything in common I suppose. And, he was sort of a loser; no job, barely any money, and he really wasn't even that handsome. I think the only reason I stayed with him is because of the sex. The sex was the best part of our so called, "relationship".

But still, he was a boyfriend. He was someone to call up in the middle of the night if I had a bad dream, and someone to ward off all the middle-aged creeps who would try and hit on me when we went out.

It had only been last night that we had broken up. As soon as Alice had found out what happened, she insisted that she let Rose and her take me out clubbing tonight, instead of sitting at home, watching re-runs of Friends.

I admit, I had been excited with the prospect, but my excitement had quickly turned to regret when Rosalie had shown me the dress (and shoes) she expected me to wear.

"Oh come on Bells! It'll be fun!" She had tried to persuade me, "and these shoes will go perfectly with your brand new dress!" She had unzipped a clean white garment bag and displayed the dress like she was on a game show. I remember actually cringing and calculating my chances of faking a fever and claiming I had the Swine Flu…but then, knowing Alice, she would probably rush me to the hospital.

"Earth to Bells?" I felt someone nudging my arm and turned to see Alice, wrinkling her perfect brows in confusion. Alice was my roommate, and my best friend. We had grown up together, and were practically sisters. She had a round face, but she was thin to the extreme. A spiky crown of raven black hair framed her pretty face. Her eyes were extremely striking. She had the most gorgeous eyes that I had ever seen. They were a beautiful sea foam color. Plus, she had impeccable taste in fashion. Her entire wardrobe consisted of thousand-pound labels like: Gucci, Prada, Armani…the list goes on and on. She was spunky, full of energy, and the greatest friend anybody could ever ask for.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just zoning out." I lied. I had promised Alice not to think about James anymore, and every time I did, I would have to put 10 quid in a jar. So far, there was about enough money to buy a Burberry Wallet.

"Ooooh, see that guy over there? He is totally checking you out Bells!" Rosalie squealed excitedly. I raised my eyebrows and shot a quick glance over in the direction she was looking, and then I felt a slight shiver of revulsion run through my body. He was obviously in his early thirties, and he was the type of man who was cocky, conceited, and thought he could charm the panties off of any woman. He was licking his lips and mentally undressing me with his eyes. I self-consciously crossed my arms in front of my chest.

Alice shook her head and I looked down to see that my boobs were being pushed up, so I just pulled my coat on and fastened it up all the way instead. "Can we go now? I'm tired of being looked at by pervy men."

"Bells, it's nearly midnight! Loosen up! Here, I'm going to get you a drink and you're going to dance with us, got it? And I'm not going to have you bring me down." Rosalie smirked at me and strutted over to the bartender. "Can I have one Long Island Ice Tea for my friend over here?" She gestured to me, and I could see the man was obviously flustered by Rosalie's insane beauty.

She honestly looked like she should be posing on the cover of Vogue – perfect face, perfect body, long blonde hair, shining blue eyes – but she worked with me, at the internationally renowned "Cullen and Masen Publications". It was the single biggest publishing company in Europe, with smaller branches open in Paris, Milan and New York – London being their main hub. Rosalie and I both worked at Elle Magazine – she being the beauty editor, and I being the lowly junior assistant to our boss Howard Jones. I had the shitty job, while she had the glamorous editorial position at the most successful magazine in the United Kingdom.

To be fair, she had been working there for 5 years, while I had only been working there for 8 months. The only reason I had taken the job was so I could get to The Daily Mail. Journalism is my passion, my life. My dream had been to work as an editor for the arts and entertainment section, but they had stuck me as an assistant. I'm not trying to complain, the salary's great and so are all the free designer clothes, but a masters degree in literature from Cambridge University seemed like a waste if you're an assistant.

He stuttered a response and Rose and Alice grabbed me by my wrists and sat me down in a chair. I sighed heavily and gave them dirty looks before they turned around and stalked off, laughing to themselves.

The bartender handed me the drink and I took one long look at it and shuddered. I was going to feel this in the morning. I lifted it up and downed half the glass.

"Are you alright, love?" The bartender said to me. "Usually, people don't come in 'ere and drink 'em that fast." He seemed genuinely concerned.

I shrugged and smiled weakly. "Had a rough week." I picked up the drink and finished the other half before he had a chance to say anything.

My head started to hurt, so I hid my head in my hands and groaned, willing the feeling to go away, wishing more than anything that I was back at home, reading a good book, curled up by the fireplace, watching the snow fall outside the window.

A snap of fingers in front of my face brought me out of my daydream. I blinked and focused my eyes on the kind bartender who was staring at me like I had a third eye.

"Do you want me to call you a cab, love?" he asked.

"No, I'm alright, thanks though. Just, give me your strongest cocktail," I told him. He gave me a skeptical look and shook his head.

Just as he was going to get a martini glass, a smooth, seductive voice interrupted him. "Actually, I think she should just have water."

My mouth dropped open and I turned to find the source of this voice. My voice colored with aggravation, "Excuse me, I don't think it's any business of yours-" But I completely forgot what I was going to say as I stared at the man seated to my right.

He was without a doubt the most beautiful man I had ever seen. His strong jaw was perfect and angular. His green eyes sparkled like emeralds were embedded into his sockets. His hair was an unusual bronze color that stuck up in all directions in casual disarray, like someone had been running their fingers through it all night. His mouth was pulled into an uneven smile, and he was looking at me with such intensity that I thought I could faint.

I gulped. "Like I said," My voice was shaky, "your strongest cocktail, please." I glared at the man and he laughed.

I saw the gorgeous man shake his head. I became infuriated; who the hell did he think he was? "Excuse me! What makes you think you can just come in here and…and…order for me?" I finished lamely.

"Because I know something is wrong, and I'm not going to let you become completely pissed so that you'll forget about it. That's not the way. Believe me, I know." A strange tone took over that last part. I scoffed and turned back to the bar.

"I'm Edward," he said politely, formally, while holding out his hand. I gently shook it.

"Bella, Bella Swan." I tried to smile weakly.

We sat there in silence for a couple minutes, only the bright strobe lights and dancing people made me remember where I was.

"So what is it? Lost job?"

This was the first time Edward had spoken up. I was a bit shocked, but then I controlled myself and shook my head.

"Parents splitting up?"

I shook my head again.

He seemed to hesitate, and then quietly said, "Broken heart?"

I gave a humorless chuckle. "Bingo," I said while taking a sip of my water. I had to admit, it did feel better than alcohol.

"What happened?" He sounded so sincere, like he cared. But then I remembered that this guy was probably just trying to get into my pants.

I waved my hand as a dismissal. "Nothing." But he raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Bella, what's wrong?" The tone of his voice, so genuine with concern, like a friend, made my words just come out before I knew what I was saying.

"All started when…and he was so nice to me! So then we…and I really thought he was it…always knew it was too good…slutty Ruby…but all we did was have sex!...I guess I'm kind of glad to be rid of him…but I really liked him." I was crying throughout the entire 15 minutes I was explaining my history with James. I expected him to get up and leave, or laugh in my face, but all he did was listen intently and nod occasionally.

"I guess I just wasn't good enough for him. Maybe I wasn't pretty enough." By this time, I was just talking to myself.

"I highly doubt that," he said with a small smile on his face. My eyes widened in shock at what I had just admitted to this stranger.

"Omygod! I'm so sorry I-" I was cut off as he covered my mouth with his hand. A small sting of electricity passed through my lips at his touch.

"It was no problem Bella. Unfortunately, I can't empathize, but I can sympathize. To be honest, I don't think that James person was ever a good guy." He took his hand away.

"Thank-you," I said genuinely, "sorry about earlier, I wasn't exactly the friendliest." I gave him a shy smile and he smiled crookedly back at me, stopping my heart.

"It's alright. Stop apologizing for everything."

"Sorry…I mean okay," I said. He laughed. It was the most beautiful, melodious sound I had ever heard.

I gave him a sly look and turned to the bartender. "Can we have two martinis, grey goose, no vermouth?" He nodded, smiling and started to prepare our drinks.

"What, you're going to let me drink now?" I asked him teasingly.

Before he had a chance to respond, the bartender handed us our drinks and I once again downed my martini in one sip.

"Ahhh, that feels good," I said as the liquid flowed down my throat, leaving a warm trail behind and making the back of my throat feel tingly. My cheeks instantly reddened and I hid my face by covering my hands at realization that I had just acted like an alcoholic in front of a practical Adonis.

I was waiting to hear a laugh or a sound of disgust, but instead I felt two strong hands pull at my wrists to expose my face. "Don't hide your face; it's much too beautiful to be hidden."

I blushed even further and looked up at him. His look was somewhere between amusement and concern, for what exactly I wasn't sure.

The song So Rich, So Pretty by Mickey Avalon came pounding through the club. I unthinkingly grabbed Edwards hand and led him to the dance floor. "This is my favorite song!" I told him.

"What?"

"THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG!"

"OH! YOUR FAVORITE SONG!"

I laughed and we kept walking until we were in the middle of the dance floor.

As the music blared over the loudspeakers and the bright lights cast colorful beams across our faces, it occurred to me that I had just invited a practical stranger to dance with me.

I opened my mouth, about to say something, when Edward pulled our bodies together. My breath caught in my throat as he cautiously began to move his hips. I nodded for him to go on.

I like a girl with caked up makeup

in the sunshine smoking cigarettes to pass the time

who wakes up to a bottle of wine on the nightstand

bites and scratches the blinds

but I ain't found one quite right yet

so I step with pep to the park or supermarket

her apartment best be messy

And Lisa don't mind when I call her Leslie she's gotta dress with class

The rhythmic beating continued to blast, and I guided his hands to my hips. He planted them firmly there as we continued to sway together. Our bodies fit perfectly together, and I started to mouth along the words.

come on and get it before I change my mind

come on kid, don't waste my time

so rich, so pretty

the best piece of ass in the whole damn city

so rich, so pretty...

Somewhere in the middle of this, the alcohol took effect and I suddenly felt more confident and bold in my moves. My head was pounding, but I didn't care. All I could think about was Edward.

I turned around so that we were back to front. He seemed surprised, but he eventually positioned his large hands back on my hips, slightly lower this time. I looked up at him and I knew that the drinks were taking effect on him as well as I saw his eyes glaze over, and a breathtaking lazy crooked smile spread across his perfect face.

My hand reached up to tangle in his hair as we continued grinding against each other to the music. I could feel something hard poking me in my back, and I stifled a giggle.

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"10…"

Everyone was counting down. The club was completely silent; the only sound was the elated, drunken voices of the crowd. There were TV screens set up, showing a picture of The London Eye, thousands of people swarming the street.

"9…" I looked up at Edward, who had his arm around my shoulder, and another martini in his hand. He looked so blissfully happy and carefree that it made me smile even bigger than I already was. Rosalie had left earlier that night after meeting whoever was her new flavor of the month, and I had no doubt that she would be staying up all night. Alice was to my right, grinning stupidly. We were all completely pissed and we knew it.

"8…7…6…" the crowd chanted.

"Edward, can I ask you something?" I turned to him.

"5…4…"

"Of course!"

"3…2…1…!"

"Kiss me!" I told him firmly as everyone went insane and started screaming "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

He wasted no time. He pulled me up so I could reach him, wrapping his arms around my waist. I clamped my legs around him and pulled my lips to his with desperate need. His hot mouth moved perfectly with mine, and I moaned into his mouth. I tangled my hands in his messy hair, yanking him towards me. He just wasn't close enough. I felt his tongue run across my bottom lip, begging for entrance. I complied and his hot tongue plunged deep into my mouth. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. _They way he tasted…_I sucked on his bottom lip and it was his turn to moan.

All too soon, he pulled away and put me back on the ground.

"Happy New Year's Bella," he slurred. His green eyes twinkled with excitement and his mouth pulled up into an uneven smile.

"Ditto."

"Come on." He laced his fingers through mine and led me outside. I looked back at Alice who was currently kissing some random guys cheek and embracing another girl. I scoffed. _Alice will be Alice._

As we exited the bar, I was amazed at the sight before me. I know it sounds sad, but in all the years I have lived in London (my entire life basically), I had never seen the city on New Year's. People were cracking open brand new bottles of champagne and drinking it straight from the bottle, while passing it around to people who were complete strangers. People were embracing and kissing while choruses of "Happy New Year!" filled the street. I looked up at the sky as I saw colorful fireworks exploding right before my eyes. The river was lit up with the bright lights and the sense of excitement and pure joy in the air was palpable.

"Happy New Year, love!" I felt a pair of unfamiliar arms encircle me and I turned to smile at a young man.

"Likewise," I said, and then hiccupped. I spun to see Edward taking a drink from a bottle of champagne that had been handed to him by some chavs. You know the blonde, big, fake-boob type who wear too much makeup and have an insanely ridiculous orange fake tan. I pulled him away from them, taking their bottle with me, and led him down the street towards my apartment.

"Woah, where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Home," I replied.

He shook his head. "This way, I think." I laughed, much more than I would have, had I been completely sober, and followed him towards a tall, modern building that looked at least 50 stories high.

Once we were past the masses of people, he led me inside a luxurious looking lobby.

Part of me was screaming _"This is WRONG! This is seriously WRONG! You haven't even known the guy for 2 hours!" _But I couldn't hear that part, because an even louder person was screaming, _"FUCK IT! How often is it that an insanely beautiful man invites you back to his apartment! Do it! Or him…"_

"Hello Edward. And who is this?" The doorman asked. He was an old man in his 60's who reminded me of my grandfather.

"This, Mr. Smith," he gestured to me, "is _Bella Swan_." He enunciated my name and I giggled.

"That's right. Like the bird? Swan?" He burst out laughing, his hand dipping under my dress.

"Could you make an announcement telling everybody to wear ear plugs tonight, as I will be fucking the living shit out of here." A shiver of desire ran through me as he said it, and I could feel my panties getting wet.

The doorman did not look surprised but laughed, his mouth pulling into an eye crinkling smile. "Try not to be so loud this time," he chuckled. He held the door open for us and we staggered inside, laughing for no reason at all.

I pushed him up against the elevator door and kissed him with as much passion I was capable of. He groaned and that only spurred me on. I hitched my leg up and pushed him even further into the door until it pinged open. I carefully backed us in until we were in the far corner. I heard a woman cough loudly. I spun around to face her, completely irritated. I shot her daggers, but Edward pulled my face back to his and gave her the middle of the finger while mumbling, "Fuck off."

I heard a sound of disapproval and I assumed the woman left the elevator as the doors closed and it was silent. The only sound our ragged breathing, and my frantic heartbeat in my ears.

We kept attacking each other brutally until he turned us around and let me out and down a hallway. Even when were out, his lips never left my skin. He picked me up bridal style and started sucking at my collarbone. I moaned and started to feel a familiar tightening low in my stomach.

He kept licking, kissing and sucking me as he fished in his keys for his keys. I could hear the jingle of them, but he obviously couldn't find them. "Shit," I heard him curse as his lips left contact with my skin, and I laughed to mask the fact I missed his touch already.

He eventually found them. He held them up and dangled them in front of my face. "Nothing like these to ruin a moment."

I snatched the keys from him and turned towards the door to find the lock. I felt him –_all of him – _press into my back. He placed his hands on the inside of my thighs, slowly creeping up, and I almost lost it right there.

Once the door was open, I grabbed his tie and pulled him into the apartment. He kicked the door shut and kissed me again. This kiss was urgent, and so full of lust and passion that it made my head spin. I wrapped my legs around his waist.

Twined together, we stumbled to his bedroom. He pushed me onto his bed and we lay there on top of each other for several minutes, neither of us saying anything.

"Well, aren't you going to fuck me then?" I asked boldly, and then blushed furiously at how forward I had been.

He simply groaned, a throaty sound, and lowered his mouth to my earlobe, nibbling and sucking on it. "Oh Bella, I intend to do much more than that." His voice was low and husky, and clouded with lust.

And I did, indeed, start the New Years with a bang.

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Ugh. Ugh. _Ugggghhhh. _Am I dying?

My head felt like it was going to explode. Either I _was_ dead, or experiencing the worst hangover any human being has ever had.

I tried to remember what had happened last night, but I couldn't even remember the date let alone what I did yesterday. As I said this, I spotted a Polaroid of me and Alice posing while confetti poured out around us.

_NEW YEARS EVE! HAH! We all went out for drinks, and I danced…and then went home._

I began to have flashes of last night run through my mind. Alice giving a waiter a lap dance, me drinking 3 Long Island Ice Teas – in a row – , the fireworks down by the Thames, and someone named Mr. Smith. I felt like I was missing something though. I shook it off and turned over, snuggling a pillow.

I heard the sound of water turn on in the bathroom and I froze. Somebody was whistling – Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon – and I heard the shower door creak closed.

Ohmyfuckinggod. Somebody was in my apartment. I kicked my legs out and tried to sit up while fisting onto a handful of Egyptian cotton sheets. _Wait! I don't have Egyptian Cotton Sheets! I have the cheap, silk ones from Matalan!_

Slowly, ever so slowly, I sat up and opened one eye.

_Whoa. Head Rush. _

It was still dark outside, but I only noticed because of the startling contrast between the walls and the sky. While the sky was pitch black, the room I was in was white. The walls were white, the chair and dresser were white, even the bed was white. It was like waking up in a hospital, but it was trendy. The only color came from the bright green plant in the corner of the room, and the dark cherry wood floors. It was gorgeous.

But it was not my apartment.

I began to shake nervously as I stood up, keeping the sheets around me as I had no clothes on. I gulped and started to hyperventilate. I was in such deep shit. I was trying to be quiet as I padded around the bedroom. I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and marveled at the view below. We were obviously very high up, as I could see some of the tallest buildings in the city below us. People were driving to work, stores and restaurants were opening up and the whole city seemed completely at ease. I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was 11:00am.

_Okay. Don't panic. You're only naked in a stranger's apartment, and you only slept with a complete stranger. The important thing is that you don't have to go to work today!_

As I tiptoed around the apartment, I couldn't help but notice some things. Like how our clothing was strewn across the floor, and how some sort of liquid covered the window. I winced in disgust. I wrapped the sheet even tighter around me as I opened the door and stepped outside onto his balcony. As soon as I stepped outside, I realized it was warm, and I looked up to see a heater blowing air down on me.

I stumbled and caught myself on the railing, when something bright and metallic caught my eye. _A condom wrapper?! What kind of sane person has sex on a balcony in January! _

_Oh yeah, me._

I groaned and walked back inside. I noticed about 4 wrappers scattered around the bed, and as I explored more of the apartment, I saw 1 in the kitchen, 2 in the living room and one in his study, not to mention 2 empty bottles of wine on the kitchen countertop.

I am so screwed.

Well, at least we were being safe, whoever 'we' was.

A wave of hysteria washed over me as I realized I did in fact, not remember who I spent the night with.

_I have to get out of here. _

I ran frantically around the place, trying to find all my clothes. As soon as I had put on my hooker dress – the thing that had probably _gotten_ me here in the first place – I threw my heels and coat on, and had my door on the handle when a silky smooth voice interrupted me.

"Bella?"

I spun around so fast and almost cried with relief when I saw Edward. Phew, it was only Edward. WHAT?!

He was standing a few feet away from me, a towel hung very low on his hips, allowing me to see the chiseled, perfect 'V' his hipbones made. My eyes slowly made their way up his chiseled six-pack abs glistening with water droplets – that made me want to lick them off – up to his broad shoulders.

_God they're bloody sexy. In fact, he's pretty…damn._

I looked at up at his flawless face and had to stop myself from fainting. It looked like he had just finished shooting a hair gel commercial. His bronze hair was significantly darker from the shower, and stuck up in random directions. A single drop of water ran down his neck.

_Gulp._

His brow furrowed and he looked angry. "Bella, were you…were you…going to…leave?" He looked heartbroken, and I yearned to touch him and comfort him, but then I remembered that he took advantage of me when I was drunk.

So I did the only thing I knew how.

I turned the guilt on him.

I swallowed. "What the hell is your problem?" I demanded.

He looked confused. "I don't know what you mean, Bella."

"I mean, taking advantage of me like you did last night. Getting me drunk, taking me back to your apartment when I was clearly unaware of what I was doing, and then having sex with me…5 times!" I crossed my arms and started clacking my foot against the wood. It made echoes around the huge apartment, and we stood in silence for a few seconds before his grin turned cocky.

"It was actually eight," he stated proudly, then his face soured, "and _I_ took advantage of _you?_ You asked me to kiss you and then practically threw yourself at me! What was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, maybe be responsible and put me in a cab home!"

"I didn't want to hurt you feelings! Plus, we were both extremely drunk! I didn't know what, or who, the hell I was doing! It took me a moment to remember your name." My mouth hung open in shock, and his eyes widened in regret.

"Oh god, I'm, sorry Bella! I didn't-" And then I slapped him. Hard, and I looked triumphantly at the red mark I had made on his perfect face.

"You're just an arrogant prick, with a shitty personality." I whirled around and put my hand on the door handle. A grin came across my face as I thought of the one thing that would hit him harder than any insult. It was the equivalent of calling a woman ugly or fat. I turned back to him and plastered a sweet smile on my face.

"And you know what else? You have a small dick." And with that, I practically ran out of the apartment before he had a chance to say anything. I couldn't help the victorious smile that spread across my face. When I stepped out into the cold, I shivered as the freezing wind whipped around my bare legs and I started walking.

_I'm brining sexy back_

_Them other boys don't know how to act_

_I think you're special, what's behind your back?_

_So turn around and I'll pick up the slack._

I hit the talk button. I knew straight away who it was without looking. That was _his_ ringtone.

"Hello?" I croaked surprised at how weak my voice sounded now.

"Jeez Bella, how much booze did you drink last night? You sound worse than I do. I mean, I know its New Year's baby sis, but you could have been more responsible." My older brother's voice came thundering down the line. Of course, I was extremely hung-over, and I felt, looked, and sounded like hell; not to mention the fact that I was having a hard time not falling over.

"Call me responsible…how much was your bar tab last night?" I asked coyly, "Oops, sorry, 5 minutes ago as it's only 6:00 am in New York."

The line went silent, and then I heard his booming laughter down the phone. "Touché. You don't need to know these things. And actually, I'm kind of not in New York anymore." He got quiet at the end.

"Why? Where are you then?" I was getting worried.

He laughed. "Woah, chillax baby sis. I'm in London."

"What?" I practically screamed, "where?!"

"Ouch! Don't scream or you'll wake her, just wait a minute...oh holy fuck…okay, I'm out."

"Hold on…" I smirked, "do you remember the name of the girl you slept with last night?"

He was silent again, and then rather embarrassingly he muttered, "No."

I exploded into fits of laughter, people staring at me as I walked down the street, trying to find the nearest bus stop.

"So, did you tell this woman that you were going to ditch her in the morning, without even saying goodbye?"

"No. I woke up about 10 minutes ago; she was still sleeping, so I looked around to survey the damage. There were 2 empty wine bottles on the table, and some of her stuff was knocked around, then I started picking up my clothing that was scattered everywhere. I was getting on my pants when I heard something. I looked over to her, and she was stark naked, lying there…then she moaned again and started touching herself…it was so erotic that I got a little, uh, excited?"

"But then I saw her eyelids flutter, so I ran as fast as I could out the door, half naked, out onto the snow-covered street."

"Okay! Too much information there Em! I love you but I don't need to know everything that goes on in your life." I shuddered.

"She's smokin' Bella," he said, ignoring me completely, "long, blonde hair and these gorgeous blue eyes. Her face is perfect…and her body. If I was sober, I might have actually asked for her number," he finished dreamily, happily. My brother had always been a bit of a man whore, so this wasn't new to me. I had never gotten through to him, Alice hadn't; the only person who might be able to talk some sense into him would be Rosalie. I still had yet to introduce them.

"Will you ever grow up?" I scolded him playfully.

"Hmm, probably not." We laughed together and then I became more serious.

"So, you're in London now…why? I thought you loved New York?" Emmett had moved out to New York after completing college – with a master's degree in law from Cambridge – and started working in a trendy nightclub in NYC. It was still a mystery to me why he had chosen that major and then that career path, but it made him happy.

"Well…I kind of missed you guys. I haven't seen you, Alice or Jasper in a year. And I can't go that long without seeing my best mates, can I?" Emmett, me, Alice and Jasper – Alice's loving boyfriend of almost 2 years now – had grown up together. All throughout Junior and senior school, we had always been a group.

"Ah…so you just pack up and move to London because you miss us?" I questioned, smiling.

"That…and I lost my job."

"Why?"

"I sort of…slept with the boss?" He sounded like some poor 6 year old boy with his hand caught in a cookie jar.

I had reached the bus stop right now. I balanced my phone between my shoulder and ear and fished through my clutch for my oyster card.

"And let me guess…you need a place to stay, am I right?"

"Yes! Oh thanks so much for offering Bells! Only for a few weeks, until I get a job and a place of my own." I had to restrain myself from laughing. I'm sure Alice wouldn't mind; we had a spare bedroom after all.

"Alright. It will be just like old times." I smiled. It would be nice having Emmett around again. I had missed him so much.

"Thanks Bells…ah shit." he cursed.

"What?"

"I have her wallet in my coat pocket for some reason. Now I have to go back there."

"Well, who is it? I'd love to know the name of the girl my brother did last night."I giggled, joking. But I guess he took it seriously.

"Oh, hold on, let me get her driver's license out…apparently her name is Rosalie Lillian Hale. Pshh, Lillian? Can you believe I slept with a girl who had the middle name Lillian?" He droned on and on, but I was shaking with laughter on the inside – and paralyzed with fear. He. Had. Slept. With. Rosalie.

"So, do you want to go get a pint later? There's this great pub down by Borough Market that I've always wanted to go to."

I decided to have a little fun with him. "Sure. And how about I bring my friend Rose. You still need to meet her. You'll really like her, I can promise that."

"Sure, sure," he mumbled absentmindedly.

Just then, the bus came hurtling round the corner. A big number 9 was illuminated on the front, and I saw business people flashing their oyster cards and loading on.

"Listen Em I gotta go. Just, come round anytime after 12:00, kay? I'll see you later. Love you, bye!"

"Love you too baby sis. Hasta la vista."

"Au revoir," I smiled before hanging up.

He'd slept with Rosalie.

And he'd be seeing her tonight.

And Rose hated one night stands.

Hahaha. This was going to be interesting.

**So, hope you liked the first chapter! I've already got the next one written, so I'll post that I if get enough reviews. And I have to remind you that this is OOC, but not completely. I hope you guys give it a chance. I'm uber-excited about it lol.**

**Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! D**

**p.s did Rob look totally lickable at TCA this year or what? Lol. That boy is too delicious for his own good.**


	2. The Old Kings Head

**So here's chapter 2! Woohoo! Lol. **

**Not going to waste time with introductions. Thanks for reading and blah blah blah :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I sure as hell wish I owned Robert Pattinson *sighs wistfully***

**The Old King's Head**

I threw my keys in the small, wicker basket next to the door and kicked my heels off. I wiggled my feet, enjoying the amazing feeling of being free. I was never a huge fan of heels.

I heard somebody singing softly, I grinned hugely and practically skipped in the kitchen. Sure enough, Jasper was flipping pancakes over the stove. He smiled and set the pan down before running towards me and picking me up in a huge hug, spinning me around. I laughed as he set me down and I threw my arms around his neck.

"I missed you!" He chuckled and pulled back before slinging an arm around my shoulder and leading me into the kitchen.

"Aw Bells, I missed you too," he drawled in his southern accent.

"When did you get back from Texas? I thought you were there through the New Year!" Jasper was born in Texas, but when he was 10, moved here to London with his family. He had never lost his southern drawl. In fact, that's what Alice said made her instantly like him. Anyways, his mother and father had moved back there 2 years ago, and every Christmas/ New Year he spent with them at their family ranch.

"Yesterday night actually. I surprised Alice by waiting in the apartment for her. She nearly had a heart attack, but it was…worth it," he finished with a smirk. I hit him playfully and he grinned even more.

"So where were you last night Miss Bella?" he wiggled his eyebrows and I scoffed, opening the fridge to pull the milk out.

"I…erm…spent the night at a friend's house?" It came out more like a question and he laughed.

"Alright…Alice is probably going to grill me when she gets up, so you'll just have to wait until then." He frowned and I giggled before taking out a bowl and whipping up some eggs.

We continued cooking side by side in comfortable silence, occasionally chatting about small things. This is how things always were with Jasper, ever since we were young.

It was some time later when I felt a pair of small, slender arms wrap around my waist.

"I missed you," Alice said quietly, pressing her head into my shoulder.

Jasper chuckled. "Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

She let me go and pranced over to Jasper, pouncing on his back and playfully biting his ear. "If I were a lesbian, then why do you think we-"

"LALALALA!" I covered my ears before I heard anything I didn't want to hear.

I felt Alice yank my hands from my ears and put them back down by my sides. She may be small, but she's awfully strong. "Prude," she scoffed.

Then she got a sly look in her eye and grinned, exposing a row of perfect, white teeth. As she was opening her mouth, the phone rang. I practically ran to the receiver and jabbed the call button.

"Hello?" I asked slightly breathless, my voice still scratchy. I saw Alice frown, cross her arms and "harrumph." I bit my lip to keep from laughing from her expression.

"Bella? Darling, you sound terrible." My mum's voice came barreling down the line and I had to fight the urge to groan and hang up the phone right there.

"Yeah, it's me," I said, clearing my throat.

"Honey! Happy New Years! Anyways, just calling to make sure that you're coming to the New Years dinner tonight. My dear friend Esme is coming. Do you remember her? She has a son. He's very good-looking, and he just got back from New York! Imagine if you two-"

I cut her off before she got carried away. "If this is just another plan of yours to set me up with someone, I'm not interested." For the past 6 years of my sad life, my mother had throw and "New Years" dinner, or – what I knew it really was – a "find Bella a suitable husband" dinner. Time and time again, I had told her that I'm only 24, I don't need a husband, but of course – being my mum – she's stubborn and won't listen to me. So, I've had to endure countless bad dates with stiff bankers with shite personalities who my mother has deemed "appropriate."

"Oh but hon, he's a real looker! I've seen pictures. He's got these amazing-"

I cut her off and sighed sharply in frustration. "I can't even go to the dinner tonight...I…have a previous engagement," I finished lamely.

I heard a change in her tone. "Of course dear. Have fun tonight with…whoever you might be with." I rolled my eyes in my head and decided to placate her.

"Oh yes, I have a big date…very excited. I really must go. Love you," I said.

"Ooh, bye Bells. Love you too sweetie. Bye!" I groaned and flopped on the couch, holding my head in my hands. If I knew Renee, she was probably flipping through Bridal magazines and conversing with Charlie about what color suit he should wear on the day.

"Renee?" Alice said pitifully, looking down at me, a smirk on her face.

I nodded, then threw my hands up, coming back down with a smack on my forehead again. "She's trying to set me up…again!"

Alice trilled a laugh and leaned back next to me. "I know what that's like, believe me…that's why I'm so glad I have Jazzy." I chuckled and saw Jasper approach us, a scowl on his face.

"I told you…I don't like that name Jazzy." She stood up and glowered at him before he started muttering apologies. She feigned being upset and stormed past him into the kitchen, but not before turning around and giving me an inconspicuous wink.

I stifled laughter and sat up, ignoring the rush of pain in my head. I groaned and hung my head in my hands. Somehow, I mustered up the strength to hobble into the kitchen, and was reaching for the medicine cabinet when Alice stopped me. She handed me a glass of water and two Advil. I smiled weakly at her as I threw in my pills and gulped them down.

It was New Years. January 1st 2009. I knew that while some people would be spending time with their families, or with their lovers, cooped up in bed on this fine Sunday morning, I would be one of millions of singletons across London who would be stuck with their head in the toilet.

I sat down at the table across from Alice as Jasper carried the plates of food and set them down. My mouth watered as I looked at all the tempting deliciousness: Bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, pancakes, waffles and fresh banana bread. I looked at Jasper.

"I picked it up from Borough Market this morning. I know how much my girls like it." He gave a gentle smile and sat down next to Alice.

I eyed the food, unsure of where to start. I didn't care I was supposed to be on a diet, I grabbed 3 cuts of bacon, a pancake, a handful of eggs and 2 slices of banana bread. As soon as I had my breakfast, I practically inhaled my food, not even caring how it scalded my tongue, or how I couldn't taste any of it, I was just so hungry. The couple across from me watched with wide eyes as I plowed through my breakfast.

In a matter of minutes, I had successfully eaten enough food for 3 people, while Jasper and Alice's food remained virtually untouched. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment and I muttered 'excuse me' before getting up and walking calmly into my bedroom. As soon as my door was closed, I rolled my eyes as they exploded into laughter.

I pulled my hooker dress over my head and flung it in some random corner of my bedroom – after locking the door that is. I sighed and jumped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. The sheets were a soft, white silk. _Not Egyptian cotton though . Shut up! _The bed was Queen sized with dozens of decorative, plush pillows. The walls were a pale dark pink. The crystal chandelier added to the elegance of the room as it sat in the middle of the intricately detailed ceiling. A soft glow was cast around the room, making it feel homey. I always loved coming in here. It was my safe place, my heaven on earth. Scented candles and makeup littered the vanity from last night. _So shoot me, I'm a girly girl. _I somehow managed to tear myself away and padded into the adjoining bathroom.

I let the hot water unknot the muscles in my back, and calm my raging headache. I reveled in the sweet smell of my strawberry shampoo. _Mmm, home. _

After 30 minutes scrubbing off my makeup, and making sure to wash off all remnants of last night, I stepped out of the shower and headed into the living room.

"Gah! Put some clothes on woman!" Alice fake shuddered, covering her hands with her eyes.

"My poor, innocent eyes!" Jasper shrieked. I walked up to him and punched him in the arm. His eyes twinkled and he smiled at me. Not in a creepy way, as if he was undressing me with his eyes, but in a friendly, joking way.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. I searched through my bag for my phone. _10 missed calls. _I scrolled through them. 1 from work, 3 from Rosalie, 1 more from mum…and then I gulped as I saw who the other ones belonged to.

_Edward (:_

He had called me 5 times? I squeaked in fear. I couldn't come up with a logical reason he would call me for.

Alice, noticing my expression, wrapped her arms around my waist and looked over my shoulder. A slow grin stretched across her face and she looked at me, pleading, her eyes swimming with unanswered questions. She looked like she was about to burst.

I knew I would have to get this over with sooner or later, so I nodded and listened to her launch into her Spanish inquisition.

"Where did you go? What did you do? What was it like? How many times? Did he do that thing with his tongue where he-" I placed my hand over her mouth, cringing at what she was about to say.

She led me over to the couch and shooed Jasper away when he rested himself against the sofa. He gave me an apologetic smile and wandered back to the kitchen.

"Did you inhale pure caffeine this morning? Slow down, and start from the beginning Al."

She took a deep breath. "Where did you go?"

"To his apartment," I said. That wasn't so bad.

"What did you guys do when you got there?"

I hesitated; She quirked and eyebrow at me with a smug smile on her face. "We made out in the elevator, and then he couldn't find his keys, so it kind of ruined the moment. I grabbed him by the tie and wrapped my legs around his waist…we kept kissing and then…you know…" I blushed red.

She nodded and got a wicked glint in her sparkling eyes. "How many times?"

"8," I muttered.

She shot up. "8 times? Holy shit, you guys are animals!"

"Where?"

"Balcony, bedroom, kitchen, window…"

_Edward lifted me up against the window, my legs wrapped around his waist. He roughly pounded into me and I screamed out in ecstasy. He took one of my nipples into his mouth and began sucking on it. I felt his hand trail down to my clit, and he began to pinch my bundle of nerves. _

"_Edward!" I screamed, falling over the edge while experiencing the most intense orgasm I'd ever had._

"_We're not finished yet, love." His tone made me shiver while he carried us over to the bed and dropped me before covering my hand with his mouth and slamming into me. _

"Anything special?"

My face darkened another color as a certain position came to mind. But there was no way in hell I would ever admit to that.

"Most important question how was he?"

_Horrible, selfish, tiny._ But I couldn't bring myself to lie; I was a terrible liar, and she knew that. "The best ever."

"Ever?" She asked incredulously, her eyebrows shooting up.

I nodded.

"I haven't exactly been with many guys, but it was never _that_ good." I leaned back and began to feel more comfortable now that all the awkward questions were out of the way.

Her eyes lit up and she sat Indian style across from me. "So when are you two seeing each other again?"

My heart sank and I remembered our confrontation in his apartment. "No" I snapped, a little too harshly. She sank back and I immediately felt bad for snapping at her. "Sorry. We just, didn't leave things on the best foot. I said something, then he said something and I kind of just left."

She nodded in understanding. "It's a shame though. You guys looked really cute together." I smiled half-heartedly at her. She rubbed my shoulder and we sat there for a minute before I remembered something.

"On a different subject, Emmett's back in town, and he wants to know if we'd like to go for a drink with him later down at Borough Market." She squealed and began babbling incessantly.

30 minutes later, I was fully dressed and ready for the day. My hair – no matter how hard I tried to blow dry it straight – was wavy. I had put on a dark blue, V-neck blouse and my dark skinny jeans. As I bounded out into the living room. I noticed that it was 12:37. I rolled my eyes; always like Emmett to be late.

I reached for my phone, and was just about to call him when the click of the door got my attention. I whirled around to see Emmett, standing there, two suitcases in his hands.

I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck. He picked me up and enveloped me in a huge bear hug. "I missed you squirt," he said. I grinned and pulled back as Alice and Jasper came out of her room.

"Happy New Years bitches!" Emmett sang. He always did have a way with words. He picked Alice up and spun her around. He gave Jasper a manly hug and pat on the back as he returned to my side, slinging his arm across my shoulder.

"Emmett! What are you doing here? Are you just visiting? Or do you need somewhere to stay?" Alice's eyes were practically bulging out of her sockets.

Em gave a relaxed, carefree laugh. "First, I'm here to see my family and friends. Second, no. And third, yes," he gave me sly look and said, "Bella already agreed to it."

Alice slapped me on the arm. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

I rubbed my arm; the girl packs a mean punch. "Ouch. I just found out this morning. Emmett rang me up after coming out of a girl's apartment, and he told me he was here to stay and needed somewhere to stay until he gets his own place."

Her eyes widened in understanding. She cast Emmett a sly look and smirked. "A girl? On your first night here?"

He nodded, looking proud. "She was gorgeous. Blonde hair, blue eyes, red dress…"

"And her name was Rosalie Lillian _Hale_." I stressed the last part. Alice looked shocked and scared at the same time. Then she burst into a fit of laughter. Jasper took a little while, and I could see the gears turning in his head. I could of swore I heard a click when his eyes brightened in recognition and understanding.

He joined Alice, and Emmett gave me one of his signature _what-the-fuck_ looks. I stifled a giggle and shrugged my shoulders.

"What's so funny?" Emmett asked, rather annoyed to be left out.

They straightened up and exchanged a look with each other. "We just thought the name was funny," Jasper lied, trying to keep a straight face. Alice hid her face in his shoulder, but I could see the corners of her mouth turn up. Emmett scratched his head and brushed it off. He was still the same. Dark, curly hair, HUGE build, blue eyes – he had inherited from our mother –, dimples, and the sweetest personality I had ever come across.

He caught me ogling and smiled, showing his dimples. "What's new with you, baby sis? Got anyone special in your life?"

"SHE HAD SEX WITH SOMEBODY LAST NIGHT!" Alice yelled. My eyes widened and I turned back to Emmett to see he had a smug grin on his face.

"Really? Was this guy your boyfriend?"

"NO! THEY KNEW EACHOTHER FOR 2 HOURS BEFORE SHE FUCKED HIM!"

My mouth dropped open, and I was astonished to find Emmett clutching his sides, tears brimming in his eyes.

'You're dead' I mouthed to Alice. She shrugged and skipped into her room.

I stood there uncomfortably while Emmett kept laughing. I punched him on the arm and he shot up.

"Really think that hurts, Bells?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Now who's the hypocrite? You always yell at me for one night stands. Always preach to me to be good and stop my whorish ways. Well, well, well, look how the tables have turned." He smiled cockily at me.

"For your information, I had too much to drink last night, and I was going through a bad breakup."

"You and James broke up?" he said softly.

I nodded. "Yeah. Two nights ago."

I was stunned by his reaction. "Thank fucking Jesus."

"What?" I asked.

He walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer out of the door. "I said thank the fucking Lord. He was never good enough for you. Dad owes me twenty quid," he said thoughtfully.

He turned to walk away but I held onto him tightly. "Why does he owe you money?"

He pulled away and started scratching the back of his neck, a nervous habit he had. "We, erm…sort of made a bet on how long it would last. I said less than a year; dad said more than a year."

"You…bet…on…my…relationship?" I said through gritted teeth.

He nodded and gulped. "Well. I'll be expecting you to take me to lunch with the money then."

He looked shocked, and then broke out into a huge grin. He started wagging his finger at me. "You're good. I've taught you well, squirt."

"I know," I said, "Come on. I'll show you you're room."

He picked up his bags and followed me through to the guest room. Luckily, when we were looking for an apartment, Alice had suggested we get a three-bedroomer, as we didn't know when we'd be having guests.

After I got him settled, I was surprised to see him head towards the door. When I asked where he was going, he shook his head from side to side. "Do you really think I want to be crashing here for the next few months? I love you Bella, but I need a place where I can bring home girls and not feel ashamed. I'm going with Jasper to look for a job." I had laughed and bid him farewell. We had agreed on 5:00 pm to meet down at _The Old Kings Head. _That gave Alice plenty of time to play Bella Barbie.

_If you wannabe my lover_

_You got to get with my friends_

_Make it last forever_

_Friendship never ends_

I picked up the phone. "Hey Rosie. Happy New Years?" I said, knowing she was about to go into a huge rant about the bastard who slipped out this morning.

"Bella. You will not_ believe_ the day I've had." Her tone was frustrated and short.

"What happened," I asked tenderly.

She sighed, contemplating where to begin. "Okay. So yesterday, I saw this gorgeous man sitting at the bar. He looked kind of sad, sitting there by himself, so I went over there to buy him a drink and try and cheer him up. He was fit. I mean downright delicious. Dimples, brown hair, blue eyes, and amazing body…even more amazing di-"

"Woah Rose…don't even go there." I cut her off, really not wanting her to describe in detail my brother's penis.

"Fine. So we talked and toward the end of the night, we started to become really pissed. We started dancing and then I grabbed his collar and kissed him. And man…he was an amazing kisser. The things he did with his tongue…"

"ROSE!" I shouted, trying to push out the disturbing mental images clouding my head.

She scoffed. "Prude. Anyways, so I suggested we get out of there. We took a cab back to my place. When we got in, he admitted that he usually didn't do stuff like this, but that he felt something special with me. So the entire night consisted of us…you know…and then I woke up, and he was gone! He left! I was so livid! God, I wanted to kill him…If I ever see that son of a bitch again, I swear to god I'll chop his balls off and roast them on a spit!" She was panting on the other end and I could imagine her with a stress ball, practically abusing its use. I stifled a laugh; that was Emmett's _thing_. He would play the lonely, inexperienced, nervous, shy man who tells you that you have something _'special_', and then never call you again.

"Rose, calm down…I'm sure that he'll call you. Maybe he had to go to work or something?" I offered, knowing that she'd just laugh and tell me I was crazy; this wasn't the first time this happened.

She gave a short, humorless bark just like I predicted she would. "Don't make me laugh Bells. If he doesn't call me in the next hour, I'll hunt him down myself."

"What's his name?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"Emmett Dale." I laughed, classic Emmett to use his middle name. He had too much experience.

"What's so funny?" she spit. I shut up immediately and shrank back at the venom in her voice.

"Sorry," she muttered, "I just really liked him. He wasn't like other guys who tried to jump in my pants the moment they met me." I could hear the heart-break in her voice and mentally cursed Emmett for being such a douche.

"You know what Rose? Maybe you'll see him again soon."

"Doubt it."

It was silent before I remembered I actually had to invite her. "Hey Rosie. How about we go out for a drink tonight? It can be me, you, Alice, Jazz, and my brother just came into town. It will be fun, I promise."

"Sure, I need to get drunk anyways. Count me in."

I told her the time and place. We said goodbye after talking for a while, just as Alice came into my room, ready to attack me with a curling iron.

"Good girl, no complaining or anything." She smiled as she took hold of a piece of my hair and wrapped it around the curling iron, slowly letting it slide off and resulting in a shiny, perfect curl. I admired it for a minute; I couldn't deny the mounting excitement I was starting to feel.

As soon as she way done, I admired her work. She had put my hair in a half up do, letting my hair cascade over my shoulders. Alice kept the makeup to a minimum; a soft taupe color across the lids, brown liner, a swipe of mascara and a pale gloss. Much to her dismay, I had begged her to let me leave the clothes I had on so I wouldn't be forced into something expensive and risqué. She reluctantly agreed on the condition she could take me shopping before we went to the pub.

Thus is how I ended up on the underground to Knightsbridge.

The tube was completely packed; men with briefcases and expensive-looking watches were standing up, e-mailing on their blackberry's. Women were sitting down, wearing expensive dresses and touching up their make-up for a big date. And me? I was shoved in the corner between Alice and a short, fat bloke who was trying to grab my ass.

"You know, we could have a lot of fun together," he said, leaning down to whisper in my ear, "I like to play _real_ dirty."

He had a disgusting, sleazy smile on his face and I cringed back. "Please…I…I already have a boyfriend."

He held up his left hand for me to examine the mood-ring looking thing on his ring finger. "And I'm married. No one has to know, it can be our little secret…and maybe your friends too." He threw a wink in Alice's direction, she stiffened and I swear I saw her throw up in her mouth a bit.

"_This station is, Knightsbridge,"_ the mechanic female voice came over the speakers. I grabbed Alice's hand and yanked her off the train so quick that we nearly fell over.

"I need some water or something to wash the bile that's currently in my mouth," she said. I chuckled and linked arms with her.

"That's the third time I've been offered a threesome today, you know. You must have made me look like a chav." I laughed.

Alice spun to look at me, cocking her right eyebrow. "I don't make people look like common prostitutes. You've seen me at work. Do I cake so much make-up on a woman that as soon as she walks out of the store, she automatically gets offered four hundred quid for a shag?"

I shook my head as she turned back to the front, placated.

Alice works at Harrods. That's right. My best friend works at the largest, most luxurious department store in all of London. And she's got a twenty-five percent discount, which _I _get to use whenever I want. Alice is the manger of the beauty department. She gets paid to sit in an office all day and supervise, but she prefers to be working out on the floor.

We walked up out of the station and onto the bust street. It was starting to get dark; we'd probably have to catch a cab to the pub as Harrods was nowhere near it.

Snowflakes started to fall and I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck. The wind bit at my cheeks and I shivered involuntarily; I was not dressed for weather like this. All I was wearing was a thin, black coat and my Burberry scarf.

"Alice. How m-much l-longer?" I stuttered. I swear she wasn't even listening to me, but I saw her eyes light up and sure enough, ahead of us was our destination.

It truly was beautiful. The magnificent architecture still stood out on the street with ornate carvings. It was already lit up and was striking against the pale grey sky. We walked past the beautiful window displays, decked out in tinsel, holly, and lights; dozens of lights, all bearing the distinctive Harrods logo. Even I couldn't suppress the mounting excitement I was starting to feel; I may not like shopping, but shopping at Harrods is an entirely different story.

Alice gripped my arm and turned to me with bright, childlike wonder evident in her eyes.

"I know."

We entered the store, and I was not surprised that it was extremely busy. Men and women were rushing around, grabbing whatever they could get their hands on and flinging at the cashier.

"Alice! Bella! How lovely it is to see you here!" Emily embraced us. She was Alice's personal assistant, and our close friend. She was beautiful, with long black hair that was twisted into a neat chignon, and pretty, grey, angular eyes. When she smiled, she lit up the entire room.

"It's nice to see you Emily," I said, giving her another hug.

"What brings you two lady's here? If I remember correctly, you hate shopping, and you aren't supposed to come into work until tomorrow."

"Bella has no decent work clothes, so we're going to need something sophisticated, yet sexy." Alice eyed me as I gulped; I didn't mind getting work clothes, but Alice's definition of _decent_ didn't come with _decent _price tag.

"She looks a little scared," Emily laughed, "come on. I'll go with you too. I'm off work now, so we can pretty much just head on up right now." She smiled and led the way.

While we were riding up the escalator and the girls were making small talk, I started to calculate just how much this would cost me. _I'm not going to let Alice pay for me this time. _

We made it up to the women's department, and Alice started fingering some black suits. Emily and her were discussing different cuts and fits, so I casually wandered over to a rack when something caught my eye.

It was brown, but not a boring, flat brown, it was like the color of milk chocolate. It was silk and cut so that it was knee-length. The dress wrapped around and tied in the back. The neckline was V-shaped, and cut low, but not so low that you'd look like a tramp. I glided my hand over the soft, supple material and started imagining myself in it with a gorgeous pair of caramel colored heels. However, my daydream was interrupted when I came across a piece of card and my eyes snapped open, effectively ending my dream.

I held my breath and prepared for the worst…and _of course_ I was met with the worst.

_£450.95. £450.95. £450.95. £450.95. £450.95._

_How the hell could anybody in their right mind pay almost five hundred pounds for a dress?!_

"Bella what are you…OH MY GOD! IT'S PERFECT! Emily, take this," Alice squealed. She flung the dress into Emily's arms.

"Alice, I'm not letting you pay for me," I spat; she knowed how much I hated people spending money on me.

"Oh relax Bel-la! Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm buying it for you, and don't think you can stop me. I'll gag you and force you into it if you don't cooperate with me. You know I will," she sang. I debated internally the chances of the tiny pixie getting me in the dress; the odds were in her favor.

"Fine!" I relented.

She clapped her hands together and skipped off to start pulling things off the rack. "Go into the dressing room and start trying things on." She chucked a huge pile of clothing into my arms and I wandered off to the dressing rooms with a groan.

A kind-looking old woman sat at a desk with a pleasant smile on her face. She had caramel-colored hair that was dulling from old age. Her skin only had a few wrinkles, and she looked like the motherly type. "How many items dearie?" she asked with a smile.

I tried to count, but half of the clothing fell on the floor. "Shit," I mumbled. The lady rushed over to me and started to count.

Her brow furrowed. "17," she said. "You're only allowed 5 at a time."

Just then, Alice showed up and recognition registered on the woman's face. A grin spread across her face. "Alice! Sweetheart, how are you?"

"I'm fine Nina, thanks. This is my best friend, Bella Swan," she said, gesturing to me. I waved slightly at the woman and held out my hand. She looked at it disapprovingly and gave me hug. I felt sort of odd, but returned the hug.

"I'm Nina. It's so nice to meet you Bella. Alice speaks very fondly of you." She smiled at me and I involuntarily smiled back; it was a reflex.

"It's nice to meet you too."

She turned to Alice. "The grandkids are wondering when you'll come round again. They had so much fun last time with their Auntie Alice."

"I'm free for dinner in," she took out her blackberry and examined her schedule, "two weeks. Sunday the 15th. And maybe Bella can come too?"

"Of course. I'll call up my daughter's and ask them to come over with the kids. We'd love to have you with us Bella."

"Thank-you," I said, my voice suddenly choked up with emotion. Here she was, a total stranger, inviting me into her home. She looked at me so fondly that I had the sudden urge to wrap my arms around her again. She reminded me so much of Grandma Swan.

Alice checked her watch. "Fuck, we've got to go try this stuff on now. We're meeting some old friends down at the pub in an hour."

"Watch your language young lady," Nina scolded. Alice apologized immediately and kissed her on the cheek as we passed through to the dressing room.

"It was nice to meet you Bella," she said before Alice permanently dislocated my arm. She grasped my hand warmly and mouthed goodbye before we disappeared into the changing room.

I started taking off my clothes, realizing we had to leave in about thirty minutes if we wanted to be on time. Alice started taking things off of the hangers and handing them to me. I didn't even look at myself; I knew by the noises she was making that she was weeding out the good from the unflattering.

"So," I began.

"Mhmm," Alice said, a cashmere sweater in her mouth.

"How do you know Nina?"

She looked up at me and smiled. "She was my mother's best friend. She used to come around all the time when I was a little girl. She was like a grandmother to me, she still is. As you know, my grandparents on my mum's side passed away before I was born, and when my parents got divorced, his entire family stopped calling us." She looked so sad; I knew this was a sensitive subject for her.

When Alice was 9, her mum caught her dad with another woman. They eventually got divorced, and Alice's dad cut off all ties to her and her mum. She was heartbroken when she stopped getting birthday cards and letters from her grandparents. To be honest though, her father had always been an ass. Whenever I would go over to her house, I'd see him with a flask in his hand watching television, or passed out on the couch. But still, he was her father, and I knew she missed him no matter what he had done.

But like Alice, she perked up again like nothing had happened. "So then Nina started coming around a lot more. She would always bring me presents and pretty dollies. She helped my mum through the divorce, and taught her that she could stand on her own two feet. I consider her family now."

I smiled. "She seems really nice." Alice's eyes sparkled.

"She likes you, you know. I've never seen her open up that quickly to someone."

We fell into a comfortable silence for a while.

"So…" Alice began.

"So?" I questioned, not wanting to know what she was about to say.

"What exactly happened this morning when you two fought?"

I knew exactly who she was referring too, and I couldn't help the involuntary growl that rumbled through my chest.

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "You don't have to tell me, I was just curious."

"No, no, it's okay."

I took a deep breath before I started.

"I woke up this morning. I had a hard time remembering where I was, or who I was with. And then, I really started to panic when I realized I was completely naked. So, I got up and explored the apartment. That's when I noticed all the condoms. I walked out onto the balcony and noticed a wrapper there too," I blushed as Alice snickered. "So I started panicking. I started to gather my clothes and was just about out the door when I heard _him_ call me. I turned around and he was fucking half naked! He asked if I was going to leave. And I almost felt sorry for him because he sounded really upset, but then I came to senses and realized he fucked me when I was completely pissed. I yelled at him for taking advantage of me last night, and then he said that _I _threw myself on _him_. Then he said some more things and told me he didn't even remember me at first. So I slapped him and stormed out of the apartment. But not before I told him he had a small dick," I finished proudly.

Alice jumped up and hugged me tight. "I'm sorry he was such an ass to you Bells. He seemed like a really great guy."

I playfully ruffled her hair and she immediately smoothed it down with an annoyed look on her face. "Come on you annoying pixie, let's catch a cab to London Bridge."

She smiled slyly. "What are we going to do about Em and Rose?" she asked. I saw that she was genuinely afraid. The last time Rose hadn't been called back, the guy had had to go into hospital with a concussion; she threw her hairdryer at him.

"Well, we're going to have to make sure that we get plastic silverware. And, that there are no bottles on the table. _Aaaaand_ that she's not wearing stilettos." We laughed together as we got into a taxi and sped off towards Borough Market.

We walked into the pub and I took in my surroundings. It was now completely dark outside and the snow was falling harder and faster now than it was before. The pub was dimly lit with big, comfortable-looking couches and chairs, and a plasma television screen in each corner of the room. A bar stretched along the west wall of the pub, and the room was filled with the distinct smell of smoke, beer and perfume.

I breathed in. _Mmmm. _

Alice and I spotted Emmett in the far corner, chatting animatedly with Jasper. He was mid sentence when he looked up and saw us. Like the fool he is, he shouted across the pub for us, waving his arms like a maniac. I blushed and Alice pulled me along towards them while I tried to hide my face.

"Hey Baby sis," Emmett said. He enveloped me in a huge hug and sat me down next to him. Good, it was a booth and a chair at the head of the table. Rose would sit in the chair, and Emmett would sit next to me closest to the wall, that way she wouldn't be able to reach over to him and strangle him. Alice seemed to understand me and gave me a wink before sitting down next to Jazz and kissing him on the cheek.

"So, how was your girls' day?" Em asked.

"We went to Harrods, you know, went shopping?" It sounded more like a question. I couldn't help it. I was starting to get nervous; I had no idea how Rosalie would react when she saw Emmett here.

"Bells, are you okay?" he asked, worry etched on his face.

I opened my mouth to speak when I felt a sharp kick under the table. "Ow!"

Alice gave me a pointed look that told me to shut up.

I nodded. "I'm just tired, and dreading going to work tomorrow."

Emmett chuckled and rested his feet on the table. "That's why I'm unemployed baby."

"I thought you were fired because you fucked the boss?" Jasper asked cocking an eyebrow.

Emmett blushed and we broke out into a fit of laughter.

I heard a bunch of male gasps go around the room, and it went quiet all of a sudden. I knew without looking up that the reason was – I looked up – yup, Rosalie.

She was standing in the doorway, her hair pulled up into a messy up do, while still looking incredibly amazing. She was wearing a black, form-fitting sweater dress and knee-high boots. I rolled my eyes as I saw a man at the table next to us lick his lips and eye-fuck her.

She obviously didn't see us as she made her way over to the bar, swaying her hips, and sat down in a chair. I kicked Alice under the table and indiscreetly nodded my head towards Rose. She nodded and watched.

The bartender appeared flustered, and although she was talking to his face, he was staring about eight inches south of hers. She slapped him and pointed her finger at him I assumed he muttered an apology as he gave her a beer.

Alice and laughed and hid our faces in the men's shirts as she shot us a look. When she turned back toward the bar, we uncovered our faces. I watched as Emmett's eyes glazed over and his eyes raked over Rosalie's body.

"Do you know her?" I asked. Please let him say yes, please let him say yes!

"Nope, but I'm hoping I will soon." He winked at me.

"Well, you should go over there and talk to her," Jasper suggested. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I saw Alice was in the same predicament as I was.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Most definitely, you deserve it bro." He reached across the table and patted Emmett on the head.

I threw back my head and had to freaking cover my mouth to suppress the laughter that was building up inside my chest. I slid out to let Emmett out of the booth. He smoothed down his shirt and smoothed down his hair. I watched in amusement as he took a miniature bottle of cologne out of his pocket and spritzed himself with it a couple of times. He turned to face us. "How do I look?"

"Sexy."

"Mysterious."

"Utterly ridiculous."

"Thanks guys." And with that, he took off to Rosalie who was sipping her beer, declining an offer from a man who was eyeing her like a piece of meat.

He hesitated before tapping her shoulder.

"Three," Jasper said.

"Two," Alice giggled.

"One."

I heard a loud smack. "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU SLEPT WITH ME AND THEN LEFT ME, THEN FUCKING DIDN'T CALL ME! YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAST GUY WHO DIDN'T CALL ME BACK?" Rosalie had Emmett bent over the bar with his hands behind his back. His face was turned towards us. He wasn't remotely scared, he was just confused. And then as he looked up at her, recognition flooded his features.

"There it is," I mumbled. Alice and Jasper were in stitches by this point.

"Rosalie, baby, I meant to call you, but I got sidetracked with work!"

"Lies!" she sneered. She had tears in her eyes.

"Why do guys always fucking do this to me?" she sobbed. I saw Emmett, and was shocked at what I saw was written on his face. Guilt. Remorse. Pain. He slowly, hesitantly, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. She cried into his shoulder while he rubbed soothing circles on his back.

They continued talking quietly to themselves. I exchanged a look with Alice.

'What the fuck' she mouthed. I shrugged my shoulders and we went back to watching them.

I heard him offer to take her to dinner, but she shook her head. "I'm supposed to meet my…Bella!" She gasped as her eyes stopped on our table.

"You know Bella?" Emmett asked, thoroughly confused.

"She's my best friend," Rose sniffled, "what about you?"

He shifted and looked at me, anger in his eyes. "I'm her brother."

Rose's eyes narrowed and her lips pulled back into a snarl. "Bella," she spat, "did you know about this?" She gestured between herself and Emmett.

I bit my lip and nodded, knowing it was no use to lie to her. She became livid as she turned towards Alice.

"Pixie, did you know about it?" Alice nodded and Rose gritted her teeth, trying to remain calm.

She opened her mouth again ns turned to Jasper, but he saluted and smirked.

To my surprise, Emmett started laughing while gripping Rosalie's shoulders for support. "Holy…shit…you…guys are…fucking…hilarious! I taught you well Bells," he said. He held out his knuckle and I half-heartedly punched it.

Rosalie glared at him and I saw him cower back, his eyes instantly turning hard. "That was not very nice Bella." I bit my lip and looked down; he sounded like Charlie when he would try and discipline us when we were younger.

"Don't discipline her Em, she's a big girl," Jasper said.

Emmett huffed and tried to put his arm around Rosalie's shoulders, but she shook it off. He sat down next to me and I scooted over to make room for his massive form. Rose had a look of disgust on her face as she sat at the head of the table and glared at me.

I sighed heavily. This was going to be a long night.


End file.
